F A N D O M S .
What is a fandom?
Urban Dictionary sates a fandom as:The microcosm made up of people who are fans of a fiction genre, or of a sub-genre, who have their own clubs, conventions and amateur magazines (fanzines), dating back (in some cases) to the early 1930s. Some of these are overlapping. Star Trek fandom, for example, started in science fiction fandom and eventually became a separate fandom on its own.
Or a more recent definition:
Fan Domain
A domain in the internet about a comic, a book, a TV show, a video game etc. There are several fandoms all around the internet, where fans converge and the communities are really big, many have forums, fanfics, fanart, etc. |
Now, today I watched The Fellowship of the Ring, and I have to say that the Lord of the Rings fandom has been reawakened for me. The symbolism is beyond amazing, and it just really speaks to my heart of hearts. It gets me right in the center of my being. Plus, the imagery is startlingly impressive. The acting is magnificent, and the soundtrack. Don't get me started on it.
It's 2:37 AM and I am in my room typing this. I sat alone in my living room not too long ago and watched as Boromir, who had not bested the temptation of the ring, regained his right mind and felt deep sorrow over his actions. It is understandable how he could have fallen, but it hurt me so to watch! And then Pippin and Merry are almost captured, and here comes Boromir defending them. He is shot with arrows three times, each in the chest, before he falls.
Each time he was shot I thought for sure he would fall and die. And he did fall, but he got back up and he fought. He had lost to temptation before, but he was valiant in the end. He fought for Pippin and Merry, and he fought with great honor. Oh, how I cried when he died. I cried when he fought, and when he stood up again. I am a baby for these fandoms.
Here's the scene, if you have 4 more minutes (kinda gory, just a warning).
I guess I don't know why I am even disclosing this stuff. You probably don't care.
But there is power in the written word, and there is power in film. The idea of a universal power that feeds each of these forms of communication is intriguing and empowering to me. I wept like a child when I saw Boromir die. This wasn't because the music was just right (although it helped a ton), or the action was incredible. To me, it was because of his reasoning. I loved why he was fighting, and I loved that he was fighting for good. He's not just killin' people because he gets off on that sort of thing, or whatever. He is fighting for good, for that universal power.
I believe in a universal power, and in a way I think we all do. We all search for something or someone to believe in. I suggest that this is what makes the idea of fandoms so valuable and fascinating. We believe in the protagonist, we want them to succeed. We feel it when they cry, smile, laugh, or are hurt. We feel it, and we live it. Each time Luke fights the urge to join the dark side, we feel stronger. When Harry fights hate and uses love as his source of power we feel it in our hearts too. When Boromir gets up and reclaims his valor, we feel the same sad happiness. We feel it all, and we live it all. Then as a fandom, we come together and discuss it. We are together, feeling the same things in a way. That is a powerful notion. The people in the fandom are separated and have lived different lives, but we come together in that one thing we have in common--our fandom.
Fandoms are powerful. Though not understood by many, they give us a feeling of belonging, change, hope, and freedom.
Does this make sense?
It makes sense to me.
Maybe I should wait till I am rested to see if this makes sense before I post it.
...
Nah.
Love,
Mariah
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